Erie school director hit with $37K tax lien

Erie School Director Frank Petrungar Jr. is dealing with personal financial issues as he and his colleagues on the School Board work through the school district's budget problems.

The Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 1 filed a $37,221 federal tax lien against Petrungar and his wife, Debra, who live in the 1200 block of West 22nd Street.

The lien is for unpaid income taxes for the tax period ending Dec. 31, 2011, according to a one-page document docketed at the Erie County Courthouse on Nov. 9.

Frank Petrungar, 48, said he has entered into a payment plan with the IRS to satisfy the lien. He said the lien is related to his income from the Erie School District, where he worked for 30 years until he retired in June 2011 as a computer technician. His district career also included work as a bus driver.

When he retired, "I just didn't allow for everything at the time," Petrungar said of his income. He said he "messed up on the calculation," which led to the tax lien.

"I am paying them now," he said of his taxes.

Petrungar in 2011 was elected to his first term as a school director, and was elected the board's vice president on Dec. 5. School directors are unpaid.

Petrungar during the 2011 campaign said he wanted to be on the School Board to help address the district's financial problems. The district had a $26.2 million deficit in 2011-12, and this academic year closed three schools to offset a $12.7 million deficit. The 12,300-student district's 2012-13 budget is $141 million.

"I am a taxpayer, and I want to get on there and make sure we're not in the situation we are now," Petrungar said in May 2011. "I know from working in the district there are areas where we can cut some fat."

ED PALATTELLA can be reached at 870-1813 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNpalattella.